Principal Structural Engineer

Calibre Search; Wakefield; Hybrid; GBP 48,000 - 58,000; Full time

Job summary

Calibre Search is seeking a Principal Structural Engineer to lead complex structural projects from concept through detailed design and delivery in Wakefield city centre.

You will act as a technical lead, review designs and mentor engineers while engaging with clients, Architects and contractors. The role offers broader leadership duties, fee proposals, and potential progression to Associate with flexible working and varied sector exposure.

Qualifications

• Experience at Principal level or ready to move up to it.
• Chartered status desirable (IStructE/ICE).
• Strong leadership and decision-making for complex projects.
• Ability to mentor engineers and coordinate multi-disciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead structural projects from concept through design and construction.
• Act as technical lead; check, verify, and approve designs.
• Design across steel, reinforced concrete, timber and masonry.
• Coordinate with structural and civil design teams within projects.
• Manage programmes, resources, budgets and risk.
• Build and maintain client relationships; support proposals and bids.
• Mentor engineers, technicians and graduates; support PQE progression.
• Drive improvements in technical standards and design processes.

Skills

Project leadership

Client relationship management

Technical leadership

Mentoring

Education

Chartered engineer (IStructE/ICE)

Job description

Salary: GBP48000 - GBP58000 per annum

Principal Structural Engineer

Wakefield City Centre

There are plenty of senior engineering roles where you inherit a workload, manage a few projects and essentially carry on doing more of the same. This one has a bit more about it.

I’m working with an established Civil & Structural Engineering Consultancy in Wakefield that is looking to bring in an experienced Principal Structural Engineer, with the opportunity to develop into an Associate-level position and play a much bigger part in the future direction of the business.

This is a senior appointment for someone who still enjoys the technical side of engineering but wants their role to go beyond simply delivering calculations and designs.

You’ll become one of the key technical figures within the team, taking responsibility for complex projects, reviewing and approving designs, helping set the design strategy and providing guidance to Engineers and Technicians around you.

Alongside that comes the client and commercial side.

You’ll have direct relationships with clients, Architects, Contractors and other consultants, managing projects from the early stages through to delivery. You’ll be involved in fee proposals, project planning, resource forecasting and identifying opportunities for repeat work, working closely with the Directors rather than sitting several layers below them.

The Consultancy delivers a genuinely varied mix of building structures work, so you won’t find yourself pigeonholed into one particular sector. Projects span commercial, industrial, education, residential, retail, leisure and public-sector developments, giving you plenty of technical variety.

Day to day, you can expect to be involved in:

• Leading structural engineering projects from concept through detailed design and construction
• Acting as a technical lead and providing checking, verification and approval of designs
• Designing and overseeing projects across steel, reinforced concrete, timber and masonry
• Coordinating Structural and Civil Engineering design with wider project teams
• Managing project programmes, resources, budgets and technical risk
• Building and maintaining relationships with existing and new clients
• Supporting fee proposals, bids and commercial discussions
• Mentoring Engineers, Technicians and Graduates
• Supporting Engineers working towards professional qualification
• Improving technical standards, QA procedures and design processes across the team

You’ll ideally already be operating at Principal level, although an experienced Senior Structural Engineer ready to make that next move would also be worth discussing.

Chartered status through IStructE or ICE would be highly desirable, but just as important is your ability to take ownership of projects, make sound technical decisions and communicate confidently with clients and the wider design team.

What makes the opportunity particularly interesting is where it can lead.

The business wants somebody who can become increasingly influential rather than remain purely project-focused. There is genuine scope to broaden your leadership and commercial responsibilities, become involved in business planning and ultimately progress further within the senior management structure.

The office is based in Wakefield city centre, with parking available, making it easily accessible from Leeds, Huddersfield, Barnsley and the wider West Yorkshire area. Flexible working is also available.

If you’re a Principal Structural Engineer looking for more influence, or a Senior Structural Engineer who feels ready to step into a Principal/Associate position, this is well worth a conversation.

ref: INDHTF